Letters to Downton
by Islandwitch
Summary: Sybil and Tom's new life is getting ready to truly begin as they prepare for their wedding and Edith and Mary come to visit.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: This story starts with a short letter from Sybil to Edith but most of this story will be told from the alternating views of Sybil, Tom, Edith, and an OC or two.

Spoilers up through the 2011 Christmas special.

* * *

_Letter from Sybil Crawley to Edith Crawley_

Dearest Edith,

I was so glad to receive your letter and cannot wait for you and Mary to arrive for the wedding.

I love my new job at the hospital. I've even made a few friends among the other nurses, Bronagh is such a fun girl but I think I get along best with Lizzie, she moved here during the war with her Irish sister in-law after Lizzie's brother died during the first Battle of the Somme, and while she is quieter than the others my age, she is also very intelligent. I've invited all the nurses on my shift to the wedding, Tom's family is so small and I don't expect many Crawley's to come so we've invited all of our acquaintances to fill out the guest list. Mrs. Branson has offered to have the reception here at her house but it will just be for our family.

Speaking of new job's, Tom's is going really well, he quite likes it and we celebrated the newest edition tonight as he co-wrote one of the articles, I'll enclose the clipping so you can read it if you like.

I dare not ask Mary, but I am wondering how Cousin Matthew is doing? Mary wrote and told me all the news about everyone else but she omitted him other than a small sentence that was really about Cousin Isabelle.

I understand that Mr. Bates trial will take place soon, I hope for Anna's sake that the courts are lenient if he is found guilty, I just can't imagine that he could be but stranger things have happened.

Take care and write soon.

Your sister,

Sybil Crawley


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note: So my muse completely left me after I watched the first episode of the 3rd season last fall, I simply didn't like it and the spoilers that I've _

_read for the rest of the season do not exactly thrill me either. And though this story was supposed to be fairly canon (since there's plenty of room to explore _

_Sybil and Tom's life away from Downton) the 3rd season has changed my mind and this story is going to turn rather AU. I still plan to write about the _

_wedding and their life in Ireland but it's taken a different turn from what I originally planned. (Because seriously, Tom and Sybil forever!)_

_Thanks to MimiK and for their reviews, I appreciate the the kind words and the helpful criticism._

_..._

* * *

**Sybil Crawley - Ireland**

...

It wasn't the best of days for a shopping trip, the rain and wind would have made it simply miserable for Lizzie and I, if Bronagh hadn't been with us to

make us laugh at the silliest things. Right now we were crowding into a millinery shop to look for a new hat for my wedding, I wanted something simple

that I could wear for church afterwards but Bronagh had other ideas and was showing me some truly outrageous confections of lace and flowers and

feathers. I shook my head at one hat that was white and piled so high with pale pink roses and white ostrich feathers that I'd have to duck to get into the

church.

...

"Something a little simpler would be better" Lizzie supplied with a smile as Bronagh began to pick up a wide-brimmed hat that Mama would have adored

but was definitely _not_ my style.

...

"How about this one?" asked Lizzie as we wandered away from Bronagh and the next hat she had picked up that had an entire white bird mounted on the

very top of the crown and a deep red ribbon arranged in a large bow around said bird.

...

The hat Lizzie was pointing at was a simple ivory hat trimmed with clusters of black tulle and chiffon, and one white feather placed under the brim at the

left side of the darling creation.

...

"I love it!" I exclaimed, I was glad to find a nice hat at a decent price and it would look fine with my dress.

...

With the hatbox tucked firmly under my arm and our other purchases clasped close under our coats we waited for a slight lull in the rain and then dashed

out and along the street back towards Mrs. Branson's house, our pace wasn't very lady-like I suppose but neither Bronagh nor Lizzie seemed to care as we

arrived breathless at the doorstep of my soon-to-be mother-in-law's small well-kept house.

...

"Come in, come in!" came the merry voice of Mrs. Branson as she opened the door and ushered us inside, "hurry and take off those coats before you catch

a cold, wouldn't want to spoil the wedding day with sickness now would we?" she asked with a twinkle in her voice, I was glad to say that she and I had

gotten off to a very good start and our relationship had continued to improve.

...

Lizzie and Bronagh were invited to stay and dine with us so the evening began quite merrily. Afterwards we showed Mrs. Branson all the little things we'd

bought and then my friends were leaving and promising to see me at the hospital the next day for our shift. Mrs. Branson and I went back to the sitting-

room to wait for Tom, he had promised to look in after he left work and he was already quite late.

..

* * *

**Tom Branson - Ireland**

...

Work had ended nearly an hour before, but I'd been delayed, first by my boss wanting to discuss a new article, and then the rain had made for slow going

as I walked towards my mother's house. I was only two blocks away when I heard the crash, it was accompanied by a terrible grating sound and a high-

pitched scream that tore through the night as I came to an abrupt halt and looked around for the source of the commotion. My breath caught in my throat

as I turned along a small narrow street that led away from the comfort of home and came upon the scene of an automobile accident. The area was mostly

commercial and I wondered if anyone else would come to investigate the car that was overturned in the road, I dimly registered that it was a Daimler

Tonneau, a rather expensive car. There was a small moan from the passenger seat and I hurried to the side of a young lady, she couldn't have been older

than fourteen and obviously badly hurt. I tried to reassure her as I gently began to pull her from the wreckage but I barely had her half out when I felt the

barrel of a gun pressed against my back.

...

"I'm only trying to help" I said, as I cradled the girl to me, reluctant to let her go and possibly cause more damage.

...

"My niece and I don't require your help" came a hoarse whisper behind me.

...

"She needs medical attention" I said carefully, remaining as still as possible even as I felt the girl's blood begin to soak my shirt.

...

"She'll be fine or she'll die, what's it to you anyway?" came the hoarse voice again, "put her on the ground and stand up"

...

It wasn't easy to keep my temper... so I didn't, I slowly lowered the girl to the ground and as the man stepped towards her I hooked my foot around his leg

causing him to fall and drop his pistol, he tried to roll himself towards it but I was faster as I flung myself down on my stomach and grabbed the pistol with

both hands. We jumped to our feet at the same time and I kept him in my sights as he raised his hands in supplication.

...

"We're taking the girl to the hospital" I said, "and then you can explain all of this to the police".

...

I motioned him to pick up the girl and to walk in front of me up the street. He smirked as he began to comply but before I could figure out why, I smelled

something sweet and began to feel woozy.

...

"Wha..." I murmured as I slumped to the ground and darkness overcame me.

...

* * *

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_As I said, totally AU from this point on! Anything could happen including character deaths and non-canon romance._


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